Get access to in-depth analysis: Beyond the crockpots and face painting, Carnival races serve up high-level competition, with top-ranked juniors and former D-team skiers generating minimum point penalties.

“The tactic was to start with full speed. In the second lap I had some problems with my back and I decided to only fight for the victory and not for the bonus seconds,” Kuitunen says.

Kuitunen ended up winning 40 bonus seconds in the today’s race and is now in the lead of the overall Tour de Ski with an advantage of 31.7 seconds on Saarinen. Majdic is in third, 49.1 seconds off the lead.

In the tour sprint ranking, Majdic took the lead from Italian Arianna Follis with an advantage of 18 seconds. Majdic only needs to finish tomorrow’s final leg to claim victory in the sprint standings since no bonus points will be awarded. Saarinen is in third with a 25 second disadvantage to Majdic.

German Axle Teichmann won the men’s race, lifting him to second in the overall standings. Finn Sami Jauhojaervi finished second in today’s 20 km mass start race with Nikolay Chebotko (KAZ) in third. Tour overall leader Dario Cologna of Switzerland was just off the podium in third.

Tomorrow the final stage of the Tour de Ski will take place in Val di Fiemme with the famous final climb up to the Alpe Cermis.